Dallas Cowboys at Chargers Notebook: Dak Prescott, Micah Parsons 'Prove Naysayers Wrong!'
Heading into Monday's meeting with the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium, the Dallas Cowboys have had to hear nonstop talk about how embarrassing their 42-10 loss to the San Francisco 49ers was in Week 5 -- and rightfully so.
But behind a bounce-back performance from their defense and two key fourth-quarter scoring drives, the Cowboys escaped L.A. with a 20-17 win over the Chargers heading into the bye week. ... which now means the Cowboys are 10-1 in the last three years following a loss.
“It’s good to always get back on track,'' said Micah Parsons, aware of that mark and what it means. "That’s our record: prove the naysayers wrong.”
In moving to 4-2, Dallas did that ... to some degree, anyway. Here's four takeaways from the win:
1- Cowboys defense zaps Chargers The Chargers entered Monday as the only team in the league to score at least 24 points in each game this season. Dallas put that streak to end, as the Chargers scored a season-low 17 points and failed to get the tying score late thanks to a game-sealing interception from Stephon Gilmore on L.A.'s final possession.
But while this play is the one that'll make the Dallas highlights, the defense played an impressive game throughout. Chargers running back Austin Ekeler must have still been feeling that pregame punch, as the Cowboys held him to just 27 rushing yards on 14 carries. Dan Quinn's unit allowed the goal-line touchdown that tied things up at 17-17 in the fourth, but proved to be the reason the Cowboys are now 4-2.
2- Micah makes it count Cowboys linebacker Parsons had shown throughout the night that he was on the verge of getting home to Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert. A few bad angles from Parsons and timely evades from Herbert kept Dallas' star defender off the stat sheet for the most part, but then the game's biggest moment came.
Down 20-17, Herbert had a chance to lead L.A. on a game-winning drive with 2:19 to play, but instead was met violently by Parsons in the pocket, who came up with Dallas' first and only sack of the game. A shaken Herbert then tossed the game-sealing interception on the next play.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) throws the ball against the Los Angeles Chargers in the second half at SoFi Stadium.
© Kirby Lee, USA TODAY
3- Dak delivers in fourth Though the Cowboys as a whole needed a pick-me-up after the loss to the Niners, it was crucial for Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott to have a strong game to avoid anymore rotten tomatoes getting thrown his way.
He did just that, scoring an 18-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter before leading a pair of fourth-quarter scoring drives that ultimately proved to be the difference. In Dallas' 10-point fourth quarter, Prescott went 6 of 9 passing for 111 yards, one touchdown and, most importantly, no picks.
This was highlighted by the 60-yard catch-and-run from Tony Pollard after Prescott escaped pressure and threw back across his body in the open field, but it was additional off-platform throws to CeeDee Lamb and the touchdown to Brandin Cooks that ended up
Prescott finished the win 21 of 30 passing for 272 yards and one touchdown to go along with seven carries for a game-high 40 rushing yards and the score.
A "must-win'' game, Dak?
"(Shoot), yeah,” Prescott said. “I mean, it’s early in the season, but 4-2 or 3-3, it’s a huge difference.”
Monday's stat line is one that he needs to produce more regularly if the Cowboys want to start stacking wins atop those present "4.''
4- Brandin Cooks clutch late Despite Michael Gallup leading the team with 10 targets and CeeDee Lamb finishing with a game-high seven catches for 117 yards, it was Cooks who made arguably the biggest impact in Dallas' receiving corps.
He finished with just four catches for 36 yards, but it was the two-yard touchdown he had to start the fourth quarter that helped Dallas swing momentum. It marked his first touchdown as a Cowboy.
But he didn't stop there. On the go-ahead drive, Cooks had a 14-yard run on an end around and an 11-yard leaping catch on third and 9 a few plays later to keep the chains moving. Without Cooks' timely play-making in the fourth quarter, the Cowboys likely don't leave SoFi with a win.
“He was due for a night like this,” Prescott said. “It will only grow from here.”
